Manchester City reached the Carabao Cup final with a 3-2 aggregate win over Manchester United despite putting in a ropey performance during Wednesday night's second leg, Nemanja Matic scoring the only goal of the game at the Etihad.
While City dominated possession during the first half and comfortably out-shot their opponents, Matic's opportunistic strike gave United the lead on the night, reducing the deficit to just one goal.
Pep Guardiola's side had plenty of opportunities to put the game to bed, with Raheem Sterling and David Silva guilty in particular, but Matic's red card ensured the late United onslaught was manageable for the defending champions.
MANCHESTER CITY
Key Talking Point
Right then. Formations.
Pep Guardiola included just one recognised centre back, Nicolas Otamendi, in his starting XI with Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo flanking the Argentine on either side. Technically, there wasn't an out and out right back, with Walker shuffled infield, so the Englishman and Kevin De Bruyne were covering that area whenever necessary, allowing both Rodrigo and Ilkay Gundogan to feature in central midfield.
Whatever the thinking behind City's unique formation was from Guardiola, it's hard to be overly critical on that alone. City dominated possession and managed nine shots to United's one in the first half - it just so happened that Matic was clinical where City's forwards weren't.
While there chances were pretty routine ones during the opening 45 minutes, the ridiculousness of their near misses in the second was astounding.
Twice they squandered massive opportunities. Sterling got a one on one with David de Gea terribly wrong, opting to try to round the Spaniard instead of trusting his finishing instincts to put the tie to bed. United then tried to give City their opener by coughing the ball up in their own box, only for David Silva to elect not to shoot, instead trying to tee up Gundogan who stumbled over the ball as the chance went begging.
It was an off night for the Citizens, eventually made a lot easier by Matic's red card. On other days City have won these kinds of games by five or six goals, but their poor finishing kept their local rivals in the tie.
Regardless, the 3-2 aggregate victory gives City the chance to win their third League Cup on the trot and their seventh overall.
Player Ratings
Starting XI: Bravo (6); Walker (6), Otamendi (5), Cancelo (6); Rodrigo (6), Gundogan (6); Mahrez (5), De Bruyne (6), B. Silva (7), Sterling (5); Aguero (5).
Substitutes: Stones (N/A), Jesus (N/A).
Bernardo Silva
The Portugal international was busy in his work, but little else. He was the best of a pretty bad bunch but kept possession well with his brilliant dribbling and played some nice passes at times.
Other than that, there was little to write home about.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Key Talking Point
It was of course a massive day for United, given the off-field business they managed to complete with the signing of Bruno Fernandes - pending a medical and personal terms being agreed.
But while that transfer is the exact kind of deal City have pulled off time and time again in recent years, that's where any kind of similarity between the two teams ended. It least during the opening 15 minutes or so.
That signing certainly means players like Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira will need to up their game to challenge for spots in midfield, but it was another player enjoying a minor renaissance who gave United hope on Wednesday night.
Matic showed all the composure worthy of the seasoned pro he is in slamming home United's opener, again showing how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to get things right in big games every now and then as the visitors went into half time ahead on the night but behind on aggregate.
The defensive resilience was also a major plus point, with Harry Maguire marshalling the back line effectively and even pulling off a goal-saving tackle just before the half hour mark.
However, United couldn't add to that goal and when Matic was sent off all hope of an unlikely turnaround dissipated. But hey, United did finally get their prime transfer target on Wednesday, so you can't have everything.
Player Ratings
Starting XI: De Gea (9); Lindelof (7), Maguire (8), Shaw (7); Wan-Bissaka (7), Fred (8), Matic (6), Williams (6); Lingard (6); Greenwood (5), Martial (5).
Substitutes: James (5), Pereira (5), Mata (5).
David de Gea
Matic was United's standout player for most of the game, but his sending off in the 76th minute for a second yellow ultimately cost Solskjaer's side any chance of reaching March's final.
Instead, De Gea deserves some praise.
De Gea hasn't performed as consistently as he would have liked over the last few seasons, so United fans would have been happy to see him keeping the Red Devils in the tie almost single-handedly at times.
Where’s everyone who wanted De Gea shipped out straight away for Henderson? Just want a chat.
— ً (@UtdHenry) January 29, 2020
Have NO idea where the goal came from but who cares lol! Big up De Gea for keeping us in the game early on or we could’ve been dead and buried!
— FlexUTD (@FlexUTD) January 29, 2020
Fred has been phenomenal once again, same goes for David De Gea.
— Josh (@ManUnitedMedia) January 29, 2020
Looking Ahead
City have a trip to north London to look forward to on Sunday, with Guardiola set to write the next chapter of his rivalry with Jose Mourinho at Tottenham. They will face Aston Villa - who beat Leicester in the other semi final - at Wembley in the final on 1 March.
United host Wolves on Saturday, with both sides eager to narrow the gap on the top four. They could even have Fernandes available, should the final details of the be processed in time.
Source : 90min